containing ivory roses and gypsophila. “Victoria amazed me by bringing our vision to life. The room looked incredible. It was better than I imagined and she went above and beyond to make sure it was perfect,” Sarah remembers. Abbeywood has an on-site florist who created the wedding party bouquets and buttonholes as well as an arrangement for the cake. Speaking of the big-day bake, Sarah’s mum spent hours practising to get the right size and texture, which all paid off in the final showstopping product. It was topped with the word “Finally,” which seemed fitting after postponing the wedding twice and eventually getting married 14 months after their original date. The venue’s in-house team took care of the day’s catering needs. Sarah says, “The food was outstanding, our guests were raving about it all day. We gave them the option of three starters, three mains and two desserts and all of them were amazing.” The bride dined on fishcakes to start, sea bass for main and lemon tart to finish. Mike meanwhile, enjoyed sweet potato soup, followed by chicken and a delicious-sounding Baileys chocolate trifle for dessert. Bespoked Wedding Cars provided transport from the church to Abbeywood in the shape of two cars: one for the bride and fatherof-the-bride, which later would carry the newlyweds, and one for the bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride. “They were gorgeous and really spacious, which helped me with my dress as it was so big I needed lots of room! The drivers were lovely too,” Sarah recalls. LOOKING THE PART The beautiful bride chose a Ronald Joyce gown, “I absolutely adored it. I felt like a princess in it and didn’t want to take it off,” she says. It was a simple Mikado silk, off-the-shoulder silhouette, with a jewelled belt around the waist. “I chose this style as I don’t like anything too fussy and it’s such a classic style, it will definitely stand the test of time,” Sarah explains. She accessorised with pearl drop earrings and a pearl and diamanté bracelet from Lace and Favour, plus a Thomas Sabo pearl bracelet, which Mike had given her as a wedding gift. She opted against wearing a necklace for fear it might overshadow the dress’ gorgeous neckline. Mike wore dark grey suit style Darcy (love what they did there), which had an on-trend checked pattern. His groomsmen were dressed in plain grey suits, with checked waistcoats and sage green ties to match the groom. The bridesmaids’ dresses were sage green, with lace corset bodices. They were embellished with tiny sequins, which sparkled as they caught the light. “I needed to find a style to suit all of them, which I managed in the end, but it took a while,” Sarah confides. The flowergirl wore a silk dress in the same material as the bride’s along with a super-cute flower crown. CELEBRATE IN STYLE A harpist played during the ceremony and drinks reception, proving popular with guests and newlyweds alike. During the evening the couple’s friend Sarah performed her aerial act, which was a big hit and a memorable moment. Later on, a live band filled the dancefloor and the evening was finished with sparklers, which only seemed right the day after Bonfire Night! Sarah remembers, “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life played at the end of the night and one of my bridesmaids asked if I wanted to be lifted, so I agreed. At the same point in the song where Johnny lifts Baby, the girls all picked me up. Mike stood in the middle and boosted me even higher, so my head was touching the drapes!” “Always shop around and get quotes from different suppliers. It can work massively in your favour.” REAL WEDDINGS 31
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